20

Both of the old men now used the language of the Delawares when they spoke.

Natty never moved abroad without taking with him every implement that might, by possibility, be of service in his pursuits. From his rifle he never parted; and 25 although intending to fish with the line, the canoe was invariably furnished with all of its utensils, even to its grate. This precaution grew out of the habits of the hunter, who was often led, by his necessities or his sports, far beyond the limits of his original destination. A few 30 years earlier than the date of our tale, the Leatherstocking had left his hut on the shores of the Otsego, with his rifle and his hounds, for a few days' hunting in the hills; but before he returned he had seen the waters of Ontario. One, two, or even three hundred miles had once been 35 nothing to his sinews, which were now a little stiffened by age. The hunter did as Mohegan advised, and prepared to strike a blow, with the barbed weapon, into the neck of the buck.

"Lay her more to the left, John," he cried, "lay her 40 more to the left; another stroke of the paddle, and I have him."

While speaking, he raised the spear, and darted it from him like an arrow. At that instant the buck turned, the long pole glanced by him, the iron striking against his 45 horn, and buried itself, harmlessly, in the lake.

"Back water," cried Natty, as the canoe glided over the place where the spear had fallen; "hold water, John.”

The pole soon reappeared, shooting upwards from the lake, and as the hunter seized it in his hand, the Indian 50 whirled the light canoe round, and renewed the chase. But this evolution gave the buck a great advantage; and it also allowed time for Edwards to approach the scene of action.

"Hold your hand, Natty!" cried the youth, "hold 55 your hand! Remember it is out of season."

This remonstrance was made as the batteau arrived close to the place where the deer was struggling with the water, his back now rising to the surface, now sinking beneath it, as the waves curled from his neck, the animal 60 still sustaining itself nobly against the odds.

"Hurrah!" shouted Edwards, inflamed beyond prudence at the sight; "mind him as he doubles — mind him as he doubles; sheer more to the right, Mohegan, more to the right, and I'll have him by the horns; I'll 65 throw the rope over his antlers."

The dark eye of the old warrior was dancing in his head with a wild animation, and the sluggish repose in which his aged frame had been resting in the canoe was now changed to all the rapid inflections of practised 70 agility. The canoe whirled with each cunning evolution of the chase, like a bubble floating in a whirlpool; and when the direction of the pursuit admitted of a straight course, the little bark skimmed the lake with a velocity that urged the deer to seek its safety in some new turn. It was the frequency of these circuitous movements, that, by confining the action to so small a compass, enabled the youth to keep near his companions. More than twenty times both the pursued and the pursuers glided by him, just without the reach of his oars, until 80 he thought the best way to view the sport was to remain stationary, and by watching a favorable opportunity, assist as much as he could, in taking the victim.

75

He was not required to wait long, for no sooner had he adopted this resolution, and risen in the boat, than 85 he saw the deer coming bravely towards him, with an apparent intention of pushing for a point of land at some distance from the hounds, who were still barking and howling on the shore. Edwards caught the painter of his skiff, and, making a noose, cast it from him with all

90 his force, and luckily succeeded in drawing its knot close around one of the antlers of the buck.

For one instant, the skiff was drawn through the water, but in the next, the canoe glided before it, and Natty, bending low, passed his knife across the throat of the 95 animal, whose blood followed the wound, dyeing the waters. The short time that was passed in the last struggles of the animal was spent by the hunters in bringing their boats together, and securing them in that position, when Leatherstocking drew the deer from the water, and 100 laid its lifeless form in the bottom of the canoe. He placed his hands on the ribs, and on different parts of the body of his prize, and then, raising his head, he laughed in his peculiar manner.

"So much for Marmaduke Temple's law!" he said. 105 "This warms a body's blood, old John; I haven't killed a buck in the lake before this, sin' many a year. I call that good venison, lad; and I know them that will relish the creatur's steaks, for all the betterments in the land."

This is a good example of Cooper's style in narration. The movement is notably rapid. The selection is brief; and yet contains a good deal. There is one sentence at lines 1-5, the opening sentence of the selection, in which the movements of the deer and of the canoe are both described, and in which each helps to make the other more vivid. The light, quick motion of the canoe is repeatedly indicated, as in lines 16, 46, 50, 70, and 73. There is one passage, lines 22-36, which delays the progress of the story. It seems hardly worth while for the author to enter upon this long explanation, to account for the spear being ready when it is needed. Also Natty's little speech at lines 8-14, seems a rather formal one for

the time and the occasion. But this touch of formality, and disposition to reason out the grounds of his actions, is a characteristic of "Leatherstocking." The gentleness and essential justness of his character are suggested by the same words and by the action which accompanies them. The contrasted character of the Indian, Mohegan, is indicated in lines 15, and 66-70. The conversation in this passage is skilfully used to advance the narration. Notice how this is done at lines 20, 40, 46. In each of these places, a few words from the actors suggest what would have required one or two sentences of direct narration. This gives variety to the story, and introduces the dramatic element; in which the story tells itself in the acts and words of the persons. It is in such scenes as this that Cooper's most characteristic and best work is done. It was this which gave him his great popularity in Europe. It was a new sensation in Literature, to be taken thus into the woods, and brought into contact with the American hunter and with the Indian. Cooper has been criticised for ascribing virtues to such Indians as Mohegan, which the critics do not believe belong to the Indian charBut Cooper does not fail to introduce cruel and treacherous characters among his Indians; and it is fair to presume that his conception of the Indian character, based as it is on personal knowledge of many individuals, is at least as likely to be correct as is that of his critics.

acter.

QUESTIONS

What was Poe's first successful story? What relation did John Pendleton Kennedy have to Poe's career? When and under what title was his first collection of "Tales" issued? What are some of the striking qualities of these? What are some of the most powerful of them? How have Poe's stories been imitated by other writers? To what class of fiction do they belong? Give some of the striking peculiarities of style in "The Fall of the House of Usher." What is Poe's special strength as a writer of fiction? What is his weakness? What are some of the writings of William Ware? Give some account of the writings of William Gilmore Simms and of Catharine Maria Sedgwick. What writer of this period had a share in one of Thackeray's novels? What are the names of some of Kennedy's novels; and what is their general character? Give some account of the life and writings of James Kirke Paulding.

When was James Fenimore Cooper born, and where was his early life spent? Give the principal incidents of his career. What was the cause of his peculiar unpopularity? What was his first novel, and when was it published? When did "The Spy" appear? Give a general account of Cooper's writings. What two series of stories are of special excellence? What character gives name to one of these series? In the selection from "The Pioneers," show how the rapid movement of the narrative is secured. What passage delays the story? How is character suggested? How is conversation used to advance the story? What is the quality in Cooper's work which gave him great popularity in Europe? Is his treatment of Indian character just?